Brat Obama

[PeaceNikki]

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081012/GPG0101/81012020/1207/GPG01

Hot button: Sheboygan's 'Brat' Obama pins
BY BOB PETRIE • GANNETT WISCONSIN MEDIA • OCTOBER 12, 2008

"Brat" Obama has gone national.

A campaign pin for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama that touts Sheboygan's heritage as the bratwurst capital of the world is becoming a red-hot item across the country, after a fellow senator recently wore one on a nationally televised cable talk show.

"I've enjoyed those buttons so much that it's so cool," said Angela Sutkiewicz, 47, of Sheboygan, the state Democratic party secretary who developed the Obama bratwurst button and took them to the national convention in August to pass out to delegates.

But the big boost came Wednesday, when Sutkiewicz gave one of the few "Brat Obama" buttons to U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota at an Obama women's rally that Sutkiewicz held at her home.

"I said, 'Senator, you have to take one of my buttons,' and she thought it was hilarious," Sutkiewicz said. "And as she put it on, I said, 'I want you to wear it all day.'"

Klobuchar dutifully kept it on her lapel into the evening, when she made an appearance on the Rachel Maddow talk show on MSNBC, and showed it to the TV audience.

"Sheboygan is there for Barack Obama," Klobuchar, 48, told Maddow on the show. "In fact, they brought you a button from Wisconsin, Rachel, that I thought you'd like. Sheboygan is the bratwurst capital of the universe. It's a 'Brat Obama' button."

Maddow laughed and said, "Thank you, thank you very much."

It didn't take long for people from all over the country to start calling or e-mailing Sutkiewicz, wanting to know where to get one of the brat buttons. A senator's aide from Maryland was one of the callers, as were people who either used to live in Sheboygan or had relatives from here.

"It's really fun, and you know how much I enjoy the button and enjoy promoting Sheboygan," Sutkiewicz said.

Trouble was, she was practically out. She contacted Tom Kitchen, a Fond du Lac teacher who designed the button and the "Brat Obama" moniker, for more.

Twenty-five of them were shipped Friday, and Sutkiewicz expects to get about 200 more next week.

How To Get One

To order a "Brat" Obama button, call Angela Sutkiewicz at [phone], the Sheboygan Democratic Party headquarters at [phone], or go to www.sheboygandemocrats.com for information.

The price hasn't been set, but Sutkiewicz said all proceeds will go to the Sheboygan Democratic Party.

"It's nice to raise money for the party, but it's nice that people are enjoying the button," she said. "And I think it's great that a lot of people around the country are going to be wearing the Sheboygan button."

[Serial Mom]

1. My husband is going to Sheboygan tomorrow

He called Obama's HQ there - the expect to get new ones in Thursday!! But they took his name and phone number down nd he may have a friend go pick one up for him.

[tanglefoot]

2. LOL!

That's funny. Kind of like the Eau Bama shirts they sell in Eau Claire

[gizmo1979]

3. I'm there several times a week

if anyone wants one let me know,stocks were running low as of Monday though.